Climate and Culture
Volume 08 Rhythm
Volume 07 Prism
Volume 06 Beyond
Volume 05 Hive
Alaska glacier by Daniel Shea
Volume 04 Cascade
White rhinoceros sanctuary in Africa by Sam Rock
Volume 03 Flourish/
Collapse
Volume 02 Latitude
Volume 01 Neo-Natural
Thumbnail View

Black Beauty: Finding Peace In Nature

#Black Liberation #Art & Culture

Words by Elie Gordon

PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRAYLEN DION

Throughout history the media has painted Black narratives as monoliths of culture and identity. Yet, in reality, the Black experience is complex and diverse. Photographer Braylen Dion is breaking down Black stereotypes by bringing nature into human stories.

Atlanta-based photographer Braylen Dion takes inspiration from music and film; records he’s listening to at the moment, for example, inform his photography. And artistic features from his latest muses—Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Oscar-winning Moonlight—filter into his creative process.

 

By showcasing Black people in ethereal environments, Dion’s work aims to renew the representation of Black people in media by personifying intimacy and softness. Breathing life into everyday narratives and entwining his subjects with nature, he connects his audience to the reality of being Black in America.

ELIE GORDON

Where do you draw inspiration from?

BRAYLEN DION

I draw a lot of my inspiration for my photography from music. I imagine myself more as a director, so I visualize whatever I’m listening to at the moment as a music video. Photography is much easier than producing a video, though, so I can translate the ideas into a photoshoot with no problem!

ELIE

What message do you want people to take from your photography?

BRAYLEN

Black is beautiful.

ELIE

How important is incorporating nature into your work?

BRAYLEN

Incorporating nature in my photography is super important to me because it looks pretty but feels real. Most of my work is in nature, whether it’s in an open field, garden, or at homes with trees and bushes. It brings me a sense of peace being there, and I can see that in the final images.

ELIE

What’s the importance of centering human stories in your photography?

BRAYLEN

The ultimate driving force behind my work is capturing Black stories. We all have very similar—but also very different—upbringings and things about ourselves, no matter where we are in the diaspora.

Back to Top

Keep Reading

The Frontline Movement Building
The Frontline Environmental Justice
Black Liberation Art & Culture
The Frontline Changemakers
The Frontline Environmental Justice
Black Liberation Indigeneity
Return to Title Slide

Black Beauty: Finding Peace In Nature

Newsletter

60 Seconds on Earth,Anthropocene,Art & Culture,Climate Migration,Black Liberation,Changemakers,Democracy,Environmental Justice,Photography,Earth Sounds,Deep Ecology,Indigeneity,Queer Ecology,Ethical Fashion,Ocean Life,Climate Solutions,The Frontline,The Overview,Biodiversity,Common Origins,Future of Food,Identity & Community,Movement Building,Science & Nature,Well Being,